A Video Handbook for the Holidays

When we published a handbook of online videos to show your family on Thanksgiving, we actually heard back that lonely folks (especially expats) used it to cuddle up with their laptops to comfort themselves while everyone else was stuffing themselves. So we won’t presume to say what exactly you should use this Christmas video handbook for.

But since many of us will have the day off tomorrow — and it’s also one of those years where Hanukkah overlaps ever so nicely — here are some holiday-spirited vid picks.

Here’s a pleasant educational video about the WPIX Yule Log — which dates back to 1966 — from Slate V:

And here’s a video from the nerds next door at Slightly-Mad Science about how to deviously wrap a gift so as to consternate the recipient (but hurry, it takes a day to set):

Want some legit wrapping tips? Our fabulously detail-oriented coworker, Joey Wan, recommends the vid below, or you could also try the ever-excellent ThreadBanger.

Forgot to get someone a present? Show them you’re really cheap by getting them a customized YouTube holiday greeting card.

This should seriously be online in its entirety, but here’s Linus’ speech from A Charlie Brown Christmas

If the universality of Peanuts doesn’t speak to you, Joost has helpfully compiled all the holiday TV episodes in its archive. I bet you didn’t remember that even Married…with Children had its own Christmas episode. If Al Bundy doesn’t tickle your fancy (and why would he?!) there are 23 more.

And web TV series have special holiday eps too! Here’s The Burg’s from last year, and there’s also ones from Break a Leg and our breakout video stars Jake and Amir and Fred. Or try EPIC-FU;

Or there’s the modern classic, Dick in a Box (sorry it’s laced with Hulu ads, but the YouTube version is at least available internationally, I think):